“In The Memory of Stones” – Photography by Alain Etchepare

Alain Etchepare’s work is centered on the fascinating possibilities of interpretations and evocations offered by man-made structures, whether modern or ancient, not in didactic form or documentary form, but rather by trying to stimulate the spectator’s imagination and by touching him through dreamlike or poetic visions. By approaching his images as actors as opposed to mere spectators, people are able to become part of them through his eyes only, and through the traces that they leave…superb or hideous, useful or destructive.

Alain resides in both France and Turkey. To see more of his evocative work, you can visit his online portfolio here.

“1208. The Roman Catholic Church and her inquisition pursue the Cathares movement in the south of France. The pope declare them heretic. The “perfect” cathares found safety in some castles, but they will be being exterminated until the last.

What story can they tell us, what have they really seen?

Swept by the wind and the mist, pounded by an unforgiving sun, frozen by the harsh winter, these old Cathares stones still stand, the last remaining witnesses sentenced to keeping this terrible tragedy in their souls.

Roaming these paths, climbing the narrow, spiraling staircases, brushing against these stones, gazing at the horizon from the top of a keep, who can but imagine the noise of the weapons, the burning infernos, the screams of terror and wails of isolation, the despair of surrender, the stupidity and cruelty, the smell of death.

Everywhere we go they whisper to us, reminding us how man, the very same who erected them, is capable of the worst absurdity.”